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We will provide you with information as much and as broad as possible about the Gerbera Daisy. Whether it be about natural species or hybrids and everything that comes with the flower. Browse through our pages and enjoy yourself and please let us know if you liked it or not. Please revisit us regularly, because we will frequently update and add to this website.

“Whatever a man’s age, he can reduce it several years by putting a bright-colored flower in his button-hole.” – Mark Twain

Frequently asked questions

Diseases

Learn about the diseases that can damage your gerberas. And the remedies to cure your plants. Aphids – Commonly called plant lice, these insects possess an almost transparent thin external integument, in colours that range from clear yellow to black. Grey Mildew – A pathogen which effects a large number of plant species, among which the Gerbera unfortunately is one of the most susceptible. Leaf Miner – A small fly belonging to the Agromyzedae family, was first introduced into Europe from America, towards the mid 70s. Leaf Spots – Fungus, can, in some countries, also cause severe damage to the leaves whereto begin with circular shaped spots with irregular borders appear, subsequently they become bigger and inside they have a series on concentric circles diminishing in size, and with prominent borders. Thrips – Insects of tiny dimensions, whose females have a morphological thread by which they depose the eggs inside vegetable tissues. White Fly – (T. Vaporariorum) and more recently the Bemisia Tabaci have become amongst the most dangerous phytophagous in greenhouses. White Powdery Mildew – A fungus, manifests itself initially on the leaves, petioles and the flower heads, with the appearance of a characteristic whitish efflorescent, floury, constituted by the abundant formation of mycelium and conidial multiplications of the fungus.

Persons of interest

Who discovered the different gerbera species, who gave them their names and why is the gerbera called after a German doctor that didn’t discover the plant? Carl von Linné‚ (or Carolus Linneaus) was born on 23 May 1707 in Sweden. He was the natural scientist, who developed the basis for today’s taxonomy. Ernest Galpin was born in Grahamstown on 6th December, 1858. His botanical discoveries include half a dozen genera and many hundreds of new species. George Thorncroft – was born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England, on 22nd May, 1857. A whole genus and many species of plants were named after him. Harry Bolus was born in Nottingham on the 28th of April, 1834. His name is commemorated in the genera Bolusia, Bolusafra, Neobolusia, Bolusanthus and Bolusiella. Richard Lynch was born on the 1st of June, 1850, at St. Germans, Cornwall, where his father was Head Gardener to the Earl of St. Germans. Robert Jameson was born in Scotland in 1832 at Kilmarnok. The most popular gerbera, jamesonii (or Barberton Daisy) has been named after him. “Rough notes of a trip to the goldfields” – in which he describes his journey to Barberton and life in the (g)old days. Traugott Gerber was baptised on January 16, 1710 in Zodel, Oberlausitz – Lower Silesia. In 1737, the Dutchman Jan Frederic Gronovius christened the genus Gerbera after the German medical doctor Traugott Gerber, but who was he?

Species

What gerbera species are out there, where can they be found, how do they look like. Ambigua – crown whitish silky-villose. Found in most Southern African countries Crocea – can be found from the Cape Peninsula and eastwards to around Montagu and Bredasdorp, South Africa. Jamesonii – aka Barberton Daisy, the most famous species and bred into the third most popular cutflower in the world. Gerbera jamesonii chronology – overview from 1737 to present Gerbera jamesonii hybridization – an historical overview of Gerbera hybrids Gerbera jamesonii botanyGerbera jamesonii environmentLinnaei – white or white above, purple-maroon or reddish to reddish-brownish below, in two cases reported as yellow. Serrata – rays white or white tinged pinkish, lower surface often dark red to purple Tomentosa – is remarkable in having sometimes yellow rays, noticed in G. linnaei, but not in any other species in the section. Viridifolia – can be found in S. Africa throughout the East African highland from Ethiopia and Southern Sudan through Somalia, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Zaire, Zambia, Rhodesia, Tanzania, and Mozambique to Transvaal, Natal, Swaziland, Orange Free State, Lesotho, and the Eastern Cape as far south as Grahamstown. Also recorded from Cameroun. Wrightii – endemic on the Cape Peninsula-from Table Mt. in the north and southwards to Simonstown, South Africa.

Places of interest

Barberton – a small mining town famous for its gold and…. Barberton Daisy! Barberton, the early beginnings – it all started with alluvial gold found in the De Kaap Valley, near Swaziland. Founding of Barberton – it’s early days as a golddigger’s camp at Moodies, the find at Eureka City and its establishment in 1884. Barberton – years of growth – outstanding in the history of Barberton was he visit of the President, Paul Kruger, to the new goldfields in 1885. The Swazi – living in the De Kaap Valley, are part of the Nguni group and consists of three groups: viz the beSuthu sibbes, which is called emsKhandzambili and the Mdzabuko (original group). Barberton – the southernmost town of the Lowveld in Mpumalanga, South Africa, is a tranquil, picturesque town nestled in the foothills of the Drakensberg range. Barberton characters portrays the likes of Percy Fitzpatrick, Sir Abe Bailey, Stafford Parker and Cockney Liz. Barberton Times – weekly newspaper of which you can read the main articles on our site. Zodel – a tiny town in Germany, at the Polish border – the birthplace of Traugott Gerber Zodel – past historyFounding of ZodelZodel – 18th & 19th centuryZodel – Manners & customsNeisseaue municipality